Yeah, this one was disappointing. As soon as I saw the cover, I knew I wanted it. This feeling didn't last though, as the story just kept getting more and more bland.
Which is such a shame because this started off so strong. It immediately drew me in with the circus setting, and the many animals we were introduced to right off the bat. Things only got better when we were introduced to the semi-sentient jungle, which made for one of the best settings I've ever read. All of this had me so hyped to read the book.
I think the part when this really went wrong was the characters. They were idiots. They truly made decisions like a 12 year old boy. Ooh, shiny fruit! Must eat it! Even though they were in a deadly jungle, they still put themselves at risk constantly. And that constant risk of their lives ended up driving the plot, not the premise we were introduced to.
Even though I loved the world this was set in, it could've been so much better. So much of the worldbuilding was introduced and then glossed over, which was a huge disappointment because the world is what was so unique about this. Because this sets up for a sequel, I'm sure that more of the world will be established in the next book, but I doubt I will be reading it.
Finally, I wasn't a fan of the multiple perspectives. Both Ekon and Koffi needed their own perspective, there was no reason for Adiah's. Even when the big reveal regarding her identity came up, the most emotion I could bring was a blink. It wasn't a surprising reveal, and her chapters just disrupted the pace.
Although this wasn't my cup of tea, I can definitely see this making a splash. Set in a world full of color and magic, this definitely had potential, it just didn't fulfill it.
Thanks to BookishFirst for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!
Which is such a shame because this started off so strong. It immediately drew me in with the circus setting, and the many animals we were introduced to right off the bat. Things only got better when we were introduced to the semi-sentient jungle, which made for one of the best settings I've ever read. All of this had me so hyped to read the book.
I think the part when this really went wrong was the characters. They were idiots. They truly made decisions like a 12 year old boy. Ooh, shiny fruit! Must eat it! Even though they were in a deadly jungle, they still put themselves at risk constantly. And that constant risk of their lives ended up driving the plot, not the premise we were introduced to.
Even though I loved the world this was set in, it could've been so much better. So much of the worldbuilding was introduced and then glossed over, which was a huge disappointment because the world is what was so unique about this. Because this sets up for a sequel, I'm sure that more of the world will be established in the next book, but I doubt I will be reading it.
Finally, I wasn't a fan of the multiple perspectives. Both Ekon and Koffi needed their own perspective, there was no reason for Adiah's. Even when the big reveal regarding her identity came up, the most emotion I could bring was a blink. It wasn't a surprising reveal, and her chapters just disrupted the pace.
Although this wasn't my cup of tea, I can definitely see this making a splash. Set in a world full of color and magic, this definitely had potential, it just didn't fulfill it.
Thanks to BookishFirst for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!